I want to thank KJaneway115, Koneia and Hester for their support and encouragement. Our conversations always inspire me :). Additionally, I want to thank KJaneway115 for taking the time and beta my stories. Her thoroughness makes them so much better!

No copyright infringement intended.

San Francisco shone in the warm beam of myriad of lights. Houses and front yards were decorated in good, old Christmas tradition; through the windows Christmas trees and families were to be seen.

Out on the streets, a lone figure walked, clad in a dark coat, gloves and a warm scarf. Her face was well known across the quadrant, but out here, in the cold night, nobody was there to recognize her.

Kathryn didn't mind. She had just come back from Indiana, where she spent Christmas Day with her family. It had been a joyful gathering. They had laughed and talked, exchanged presents and eaten her mother's wonderful food.

To be around her family was balm to her soul. Since Voyager's return three months earlier, she hadn't had seen them as much as she hoped she would, because there was always something coming between them. Starfleet, she thought with a sigh. As if the long hours of debriefings weren't hard enough, the preparation was most of the time even worse, Starfleet didn't stop coming to her with additional workload. She couldn't recall how many meetings she had attended, how many important people she'd met, how many speeches she had given. It was all a blur, and she felt tired and drained.

She couldn't rest, though, and the more she hurried on, the more she felt as if she was losing herself.

She had hoped that it would be different during the holidays, and all she had wanted for Christmas, was time. Time to spend with her mother, time to spend with Phoebe and her adorable stepdaughter, time to spend with her crew.

It seemed that it was impossible. She had felt so good at her childhood home that she had lost track of the time, and had realized with a pang of remorse that it was too late for the other gathering she wanted to attend tonight. The Christmas party at Tom and B'Elanna's house. Many of Voyager's crew agreed to come, and she had planned to go there for at least an hour or two.

Sad, she pushed her hands deeper into the pockets of her coat. The party had surely dissolved by now, and as much as she wished to see her crew, she should accept the fact that she couldn't cut herself in half.

It was hard on her, because her biggest wish this Christmas was to spend time with Chakotay. In all that trouble, all those long hours of work, their connection never wavered. On the contrary, she felt closer to him than ever. She knew he had attended the party, and she would have loved to see him tonight, talk about something other than all the difficult times they had in the Delta Quadrant, their casualties, or re-evaluate command decisions. She didn't want to think about the past anymore. She wanted to focus on the future.

If only it were that simple, she thought, but how could she focus on anything without having the time?

The loud wail of a baby cut through the stillness and Kathryn didn't believe her own eyes when she saw a man pushing a stroller in her direction; a man she would recognize anywhere.

"Chakotay," she said, nonplussed.

He stopped short. "Kathryn," he said, his surprise evident. "What in the world are you doing out here?"

Her heart lighter in an instant, she approached him with a lopsided smile. "I could ask you the same question."

She looked into the stroller, where a very unhappy Miral Paris Torres continued to wail at a high volume.

"Miral was fussy. Tom and B'Elanna tried everything to calm her but the house full of people made her restless so I volunteered to take her out."

"Isn't it a bit cold for her?" Kathryn asked, not taking her eyes off the poor baby.

"We're only out for a couple of minutes."

"May I?" Kathryn asked, gesturing at Miral.

"Sure."

Carefully, Kathryn reached into the stroller and took Miral out. She rested her against her shoulder and softly patted her back, but Miral didn't calm down and cried loudly.

Kathryn caught Chakotay's eye. "It doesn't work," she dead-panned.

"Perhaps you should order her to be quiet," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "It used to work on her father."

"Very funny," Kathryn said, but took a close look at the desperate baby and decided to humor Chakotay. "Miral, be quiet," she ordered, playfully.

To Kathryn's utter surprise, Miral stopped wailing instantly and looked at her with puffy eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kathryn said to Chakotay.

"I knew it would work," he chuckled.

Smirking, Kathryn shook her head and shifted Miral in her arms. "I just hope that she won't be afraid of me."

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry. She seems much more content now."

He was right, Kathryn thought and marveled at the feeling of seeing Miral settling in her arms.

When Miral stilled, Kathryn looked up and saw that Chakotay was watching her. "I'm glad I ran into you," she smiled.

He smiled back. "I'm glad, too."

"I'm sorry I didn't make it to the party."

"It isn't over yet."

"It isn't?" she asked in disbelief.

"No. Many of the crew are still there."

"I thought it might be too late."

"It's never too late, Kathryn," he said, thickly.

There was such a deep meaning to his words, that her eyes widened and her heart began to beat loudly in her chest.

"Perhaps we should go back then," she said, quietly.

He nodded, and she busied herself with putting Miral into the stroller, all too aware that Chakotay was watching her. His intense gaze caused an exquisite tingle that spread rapidly through her body, and her cheeks were getting warm. Miral, however, broke any rising tension by starting to wail again.

"You should try it again," Chakotay joked.

"Why not?" Kathryn shrugged. "Miral, stop it," she ordered, gently, and Miral quieted immediately. "It's like a magic trick," Kathryn laughed.

"You should show the others your trick. I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna will love it."

"I'm sure they will."

Smiling widely, Kathryn took command of the stroller and pushed it along the sidewalk. Chakotay fell into an easy step close beside her, and Kathryn felt his body heat emanating.

"So, you spent the day at your childhood home?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, happily. "It was wonderful."

"I'm happy to hear that," he smiled.

"What about you? Still no Christmas for Chakotay?"

"No," he grinned. "But I went for a long walk this morning and then helped Tom and B'Elanna prepare for the party."

"That's very nice of you."

"It's nice of them to host a party with a three month old baby."

"I agree."

They continued to walk under the growing moon and arrived at Tom and B'Elanna's house in companionable silence. The scent of mulled wine hung in the air, and out of the windows lights shone and laughter and music was heard. It elicited a warm fuzzy feeling in Kathryn and she was glad to see her crew tonight after all.

They parked the stroller on the deck next to the front door, and Chakotay took Miral out. "I guess you'll have to show your trick at a later time," he whispered.

"She's asleep?"

He nodded and rested the baby against his chest.

Taking in the sight of the now peacefully sleeping Miral, Kathryn touched her back softly. "She is precious, isn't she?"

"She is."

There was a tone in his voice that let her know that he wasn't talking about Miral, and her eyes locked with his. He had always seen more in her than anyone ever before, and it filled her with deep gratitude and love.

A fresh breeze rustled around the house, and a movement above Chakotay's head caught Kathryn's eye.

He followed her line of vision and smiled. "Tom thought it was the most logical place," he said, referring to the mistletoe.

"I can't believe B'Elanna agreed to this. But more importantly: Did he kiss you when you showed up on their doorstep?" she teased, slowly closing the gap between them.

Chakotay laughed quietly. "No, he didn't. Did you kiss anyone this Christmas?" he asked, his breath mingling with hers.

"No," she rasped, shaking her head ever so slightly, not taking her eyes off his lips.

Still inching closer, her heart beat with anticipation and just before their lips met, she closed her eyes.

The kiss went right through her. A kiss that held the promise that she wouldn't be going home alone. Not tonight, not ever.

They kissed for a moment longer, and when they parted she smiled at him, her heart full. "Merry Christmas, Chakotay."

He returned her smile. "Merry Christmas, Kathryn."

He put his free hand in hers and she realized that for some things, you didn't need much time. You just had to do them.

And that easily, she got all she wanted for Christmas.

The End